Well-drill wrench



W. H. ELLINGER'.

WELL DRILL WRENCH;

APPLICATION nuzn MAY 4, 1920.

1,397,044. ;Paten1tedNov.15,1921.

seaoaa UNITED stares rates.

WELL-DRILL WRENCH.

Specification of Iiletters Patent.

Patented Nov. 15, 1921.

Application filed May a, 1920. Serial No. 378,832.

T 0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, /VILLIAM H. EL- LINGER,a citizen of the United States, residing at Wichita Falls, in the countyof Wichita, State of Texas, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in VVelL Drill Wrenches; and Ido hereby declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains tomake and use the same.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in well drillwrenches and is an improvement over my Patent 1,327,379, issued Jan. 6,1920.

In the structure of the former patent the rotatable member, when turnedto screw or unscrew the drill bit, is not completely or properlysupported, and it is one of the objects of the present invention toprovide a novel and improved means whereby the rotatable member will besupported during its complete rotation.

Also, in the prior structure, because of the fact before stated, therewas no anti-friction means between the rotatable member and thestationary member while the rotatable memher was being rotated. It is afurther object to provide a novel and improved anti-friction means onwhich the rotatable member will be supported during its rotation.

A further object is to provide the member on which the anti frictionmeans slides with a closure adapted to be opened when the wrench is tobe engaged with the bit, and to be opened when the wrench is to bedisengaged therefrom, the closure being a part of the support.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the followingdescription when taken in connection with the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the wrench in position when engaged witha drill bit.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the wrench when being engaged or disengagedwith respect to the bit, the closure being in open position.

Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal central sectional view through thehead of the wrench on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3, justabove the ball retainer.

Referring particularly to the accompanying drawing 10 represents a yokehaving a handle 11, and a ring 12, the latter being used to attached a.chain (not shown), whereby the wrench may be suspended at the desiredheight for operation on the drill bit. -Sw'iveled in the yoke is asegmental ring 13, the same being connected to the arms of the yoke bythe screws or bolts 14, whereby the ring is permitted to swing.Rotatable within the ring 13 is a ring 15 having an angular recess 16formed through one side for the reception of the angular facet portionof a drill bit, said ring 15 having a lower peripheral flange 16disposed horizontally under the ring 13, and a removable plate 17,secured to its upper face. This plate 17 has its peripheral edge portionprojecting beyond the ring 15 over the ring 13, and in parallel relationto the flange 16.

In the upper face of the ring 13 is formed a groove 18. Hinged to oneend of the ring 13 at one side of the recess 16, is a member 13, whichis arcuate and when swung over to engage its other end with the otherend of the ring 13, forms a continuation of the ring, at the same timeclosing or bridging the outer open end of the recess. In the upper faceof this ring portion 13 is a groove 18 whichforms a continuation of thegroove 18. A latch 19 is provided for securing the other end of thehinged member 13 to the other end of the ring 13.

Disposed between theprojecting portion of the upper plate 17, and theupper face of the ring 13, is a ring 20 having a portion cut out, asshown at 21, of a width equal to the width of the recess 16, and securedin this ring are the bearing balls 22, the upper portions of which bearagainst the lower face of the projecting portion of the plate 17 and thelower portions of which run in the groove 18 of the ring 13, and in thegroove 18' of the ring section 13 when said section is in closed andlatched position.

Thus, when the handles 23, carried by the rotatable ring 13, are graspedand the ring rotated, the ball retainer, with the balls, will slidearound with the ring and across the bridging section 13, with the resultthat the rotatable ring 13 will be properly and antifrictionallysupported at all times during its complete rotations, as when screwingor unscrewing the drill bit.

When the wrench is to be engaged with or disengaged from the drill bit,the section 13 is unlatched and swung to one side, after the ring 13 hasbeen turned to register its recess with the opening of the yoke-carriedring 12.

What is claimed is:

In a, well drill wrench, the combination with a. yoke and an open ringswiveled in the yoke, of an open ring of substantially L-sheped crosssection slidably supporting the first ring on the horizontal legthereof, a removable notched plate carried by the vertical leg of theLshaped ring and overlying the horizontal leg thereof, the notch of theplate registering with the opening of the ring, the lower face of theplate being formed with a ball race, an open ring substantially U-shapedin cross section disposed between the plate and the swiveled ring havingantifriction bearings rotatably secured therein and running in the saidrace, and a gate having a race in its upper face for movement of thebearings and movably connected to the first ring at one'side of theopening thereof and detachably connected to the ring at the other sideof the opening.

In testimony whereof,'I aflix'my signature, in the presence of twowitnesses.

VJILLIAM H. ELLINGER.

